Countdown to 2013: The Muddled and Messy Start to a Mayor’s Race Still Two-and-a-Half Years Away

After Michael Bloomberg delivered his 10th State of the City speech at the ornate St. George’s theater on the North Shore of Staten Island, Bill de Blasio, John Liu, Christine Quinn and Scott Stringer elbowed their way through the exiting throng of the city’s political class to stake out a slab of space on the auditorium floor.

The city’s press corps shuttled among the four as they repeated over and over to each new group…